Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-01

1snlliss9-Ons Of the Evils Of Chax1t-
able Enterprises 0snsr.IIy-Juvenals
Dslinqusnts.
An address latsly delivered before the
national conference Of charities and cor.
rection at st. Paul, MIMI, by Mr.. william
p. Lstchworth Of New York, contains
some very interesting statistics. Mr..
Letchworth IL the president Of the New
York state board Of charities, and the sub
tect upon which he spoke, the children
Of the State" IL one with which he has
made himself thoroughly familiar.
The whole number of children under 10
years Of age in the United States Il given
- "9o, ,04S Csc. OF these, according to the
census of 1880, there were 81, ,oee in the
foundling asyiums, orphan Nylums,
other establishments for homeless and
destitute children, and the juvenile re-
formatories Of the different states, nearly
one-half Of whom. or a. S8S. were in New
York Institutions. The census also gave
the total number Of idiots in the United
States - "a, sos; blind, <as0e; deaf mutss,
SS,s7& OF these defectivss, 15o. 70l In all.
only 10,0o4 were in educational institu-
ttons other than day schoolA The New
England states had . population Of 4,01
~AAAN kVAC~ASt oAA<A V4Ay O0O R0UAAO AAADeA-
tuition for their instruction, containing %
inmates. There were NO schools for deaf
mutes In New Hampshire and Vermont,
and none for the blind nor the deaf In
New Jersey, Delaware, Florida or Ne
vada.
HOMELESS AND pIsrrTUTE.
With respect to homeless and destitute
children, the question arises whether
they should be permanently sheltered In
asylums or ct once placed in families BY
adoption, indenture or verbal agreement.
Mr.. Letchworth would follow the sensible
plan OF sending out those At to 60 into
decent homes and keep the rest in the
asylum until they are licked into shape.
A. It is, the tendency ID to relain the
children too long in asylums whose man
ayers take pride in mere numbers, for
the more they have the more important
their function appears. This u one Of the
great evils of charitable enterprises
generally. The larger the show they can
make the greater the amount Of alton
ton they can attract and Of money they
can obtain: for even in the conduct Of
charities there 10 sometimes, II not often,
. good deal of humbug. Protractsd
asylum Life, too. IL bad for the youn~, and
may utterly unfit them for the struggle
they must eventually 60 through in tho
outside world.
OF recent years the English and Scotch
system Of boarding out, a. it Il called.
has been tried to some extent in Massa-
chusetts, Pennsylvania and in the vicinity
Of this city; but the trouble with it IL that
the boys and girls boarded out are distin-
guishsd as paupers among those with
whom they associate, for their mAinten-
ance is paid for by public or private char
ity, and they are badly handicapped in the
race Of life. Children who are sent into
families to be adopted or under indenturs
do not suffer from such disadvantages,
and their chances of advancement are oon-
sequently greater. Besides, II the state
adopts the plan Of paying board, people
will refuse to take paupsr children with
out recommense. It Is not . good system
for this country.
THE BLIND AND THE DEAF.
Mr.. Letchworth argues in behalf 0e
further provision for the instruction Of
the blind and the deaf, though he is Of
the opinion that our existing institutions
for them compare favorably with those
Of Europe. But he does not fa vor the pro-
ject, which has been several times before
our state leislature, Of . state asylum for
the adult blind. Give them instruction
that Will help them 20 selESuppoft, ne
wisely argues, and then let them take
their part in the work of the community.
In asylums they will remain throughout
their lives dependent and incapable Of
selfreliance.
The instruction of the idiotic, or feeble
minded, has produced results which have
been surprisingly successful, and there
fore he would foster and extend It, and In
needful cases would continue the pro-
lection of the state after the school age
was passed. As to Juvenile delinquents,
10 called, he would have more care taken
in separating the bad cases from those
which are less depraved, 20 that gradua-
ton from house of refuge should not
put brand upon boy. To that end hs
would put hardened criminal youth in
distinct institutions, while children siu-
ply unfortunate should be placed under
different influences and amid better as-
sociations. The reform schools, too, he
thinks are too large for the proper care
of their inmates, and he calls for more
careful supervision to prevent the COM
mitment of children to houses Of refuge
On frivolous charges.-Nsw York Sun